Drive device for a swivelling component

Abstract

A drive device for a swivelling component that is pivotally mounted, for example, on a motor vehicle. The swivelling component is connected to a drive via a coupler which can be swivelled by the drive. The coupler having a connector which is connected via a connecting rod to the swivelling component. The connector can be driven by the drive and is movably supported along a guideway. To achieve uniform transfer of motion the guideway is a curved guide rail that is circular with the center of the circle lying on the axis of rotation of the swivelling component or is a three-dimensional curve.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A drive device for a swiveling component that is pivotally mounted, said drive device comprising: 
       a drive;  
       a connecting rod connected to said swiveling component;  
       a coupler mechanism including a connector which connects said drive to said connecting rod;  
       a guideway including a curved guide rail that guides said connector,  
       wherein said curved guide rail forms a circular arc in a plane and wherein the center of said guide rail coincides with the axis of rotation of said swiveling component.  
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said coupler further includes a drive cable that is routed from said drive through a tube to said guideway and wherein said drive cable is connected to said connector. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 2 , wherein said drive cable is adapted to be connected to an additional component to be driven. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 2 , further comprising a second swiveling component and wherein both swiveling components are driven by said drive cable. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said connecting rod is pivotally mounted on said swiveling component about a swivel axis that is roughly perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said swiveling component. 
     
     
       6. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said connecting rod has a variable length. 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a vehicle-mounted main bearing that supports said guideway and said swiveling component. 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 7 , wherein said guideway is supported with play on said main bearing. 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said connector is a cable linkage that extends through a lengthwise slot in said guide rail to connect to said connecting rod. 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 9 , wherein said cable linkage is matched to the curvature of said guide rail. 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 1 , wherein said drive includes at least one electric motor. 
     
     
       12. The drive device of  claim 1 , wherein said swiveling component is a windshield wiper mechanism. 
     
     
       13. A drive device for a swiveling component that is pivotally mounted, said drive device comprising: 
       a drive;  
       a connecting rod connected to said swiveling component;  
       a coupler mechanism including a connector which connects said drive to said connecting rod;  
       a guideway including a curved guide rail that guides said connector, wherein said curved guide rail forms a circular arc in a plane and wherein the center of said guide rail coincides with the axis of rotation of said swiveling component, wherein said swiveling component is a folding top of a convertible,  
       wherein said connecting rod is connected to a main column that forms a portion of a parallelogram-like four-bar mechanism of said folding top and wherein said main column and said connecting rod are each pivotally mounted on a body-mounted main bearing and each are also connected to a lateral roof rod.